2 men sought in $1.25-million gold heist in Northern California

David Johnson, left, and Scott Wayne Bailey (Siskiyou County sheriff's…)

Authorities are looking for two men who allegedly stole $1.25 million in gold last year in Northern California.

In a news release, the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department said it had issued felony arrest warrants for 49-year-old David Dean Johnson of El Cerrito and 51-year-old Scott Wayne Bailey of El Sobrante.

The pair are the primary suspects in the heist, authorities said.

“This has been a long and arduous investigation involving ... suspects responsible for burglarizing our courthouse and stealing a historic gold display and other antiquities which cannot be replaced," Sheriff Jon Lopey said in the release.

"These thieves stole a part of Siskiyou County history," Lopey said. "Although we still have a lot of work to do in this case, the issuance of the felony arrest warrants should result in the arrest of the suspects."

The suspects allegedly crept into the Siskiyou County Courthouse, made off with the gold and other items from the lobby's display case and disappeared.